A 15-year-old class 10 student of St. George Higher Secondary School, Muttar, near here, was allegedly murdered by his classmate on Monday.
A team led by Pulinkunnu Circle Inspector Biju, on Tuesday, took into custody the classmate from the Changanassery railway station premises.
The body of Legin Varghese, son of Varghese Mathew of Nanmanassery house at Chathankari in Pathanamthitta district, was found inside the school compound at around 11.30 p.m. on Monday. There was a cut on his neck and the head was severed after it was hit with a stone, which was lying nearby.
The body was found by relatives and local people who searched the premises of the school after Legin was not seen hours after the classes were over.
The police said the accused lived with his father and stepmother at Muttar near Legin's house. He had picked up a quarrel with Legin last academic year after he was reported to the teacher for misdemeanour in class.
On Monday noon, the accused took Legin to the school's rear. He covered Legin's mouth with his hand to prevent him from screaming and took out a small knife to stab him in the chest. However, the knife missed the chest and cut a deep wound in the neck. He tried to stab Legin with a broken glass piece in the stomach, but did not succeed. He hit Legin's head with a stone and after ensuring that his death, left the scene.
He then went to his house, changed, and went to St. George Forane Church, Edathua, where the annual festival was on. After spending the night at the church, he went to Thakazhi on a bicycle and returned to Edathua, locked up the bicycle by the wayside and proceeded to Changanassery by bus. He wanted to get to Kanhangad where his grandmother stayed, the police said.
School authorities and local people said the accused used to sneak in small knives in his shoes to terrify his classmates. He had been warned in this regard many a time.
The police had earlier taken into custody the father of the accused.
A police team led by Alappuzha Deputy Superintendent of Police K. Maheshkumar visited the school. The dog squad and forensic experts also visited the spot.
The post-mortem examination was held at the Government Medical College Hospital here and the body handed over to relatives.
The police said the post-mortem report indicated that the murder took place between 12 noon and 1 p.m. on Monday. The report also said that the cut on the neck was the cause of death, the police said.
Relatives of Legin and other people protested against the delay in the arrival of the police surgeon for the post-mortem. Though the body reached the hospital at around 11.30 a.m., the police surgeon arrived only by 1.45 p.m.
